Congressional Black Caucus: Bush Must Stop Haiti Coup

[Chicago Democrat]

Democracy Now! February 26, 2004

After President Bush rejected Haitian President Aristide's appeal for immediate security assistance from the international community, members of the Congressional Black Caucus expressed their concern at what they say is Bush's refusal to preserve the democratically elected government in Haiti.
(Snip)
Today at the United Nations, the UN Security Council is holding an emergency session on the embattled Caribbean nation. Meanwhile in Washington, the House Intelligence Committee is holding a closed door meeting with Roger Noriega, the Undersecretary of State for Western Hemispheric Affairs and other US officials running Washington's Haiti policy.
Late yesterday, France called on Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to resign and said a United Nations-backed security force should be deployed to Haiti to stabilize the country. Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepan said Aristide's government has lost its legitimacy and should be replaced.

President Bush yesterday rejected President Aristide's appeal for immediate security assistance from the international community to head off bloody insurrection, saying the US would "encourage the international community to provide a security presence" only after there was what Bush called a "political settlement." That remark confused some observers, given that it is Aristide's opponents that have rejected Washington's so-called peace initiative. Aristide accepted the plan. At the White House yesterday, Bush also warned Haitians not to flee to the United States.

rest at...

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/02/26/1612207

[KissMyAsscroft]

1. Yeah..

Bush wants the coup from what I understand..

[Chicago Democrat]

2. Im disappointed that France is supporting the rebels.

Why must Aristide resign? I have never heard a single reason why. Lost "legitimacy" sounds very vague.

The document on the France website is in French and I can't read it so well.

[Taeger]

He lost an election !!!!

He lost an election but refused to go. If ANYONE intervenes, they should insist on new elections.

[Webster Green]

5. Links?

Last I heard he was elected in a closely watched contest. Where did you get that info?

On edit: this was a reply to Taeger's post, not the original post

[Taeger]

9. Thanks for correcting my error

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/040212/afp/040212122311top.html

Aristide, who has vowed to stay in office until his term ends in 2006, has been ruling by decree after failed elections last year left Haiti without a functioning legislature.

The populist priest-turned-president has promised elections within six months but has not set a date.



http://www.iht.com/articles/129441.html
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/02/280775.shtml

I think I got a bad spin on the topic from somewhere. This sounds like another "Venezuela affair". They're trying to make Aristide out to be a dictator because he opposes WTO.

http://www.commondreams.org/views/041300-104.htm

In a new book, "Eyes of the Heart," Aristide explains that the austerity programs championed by the IMF and World Bank offer "a choice between death and death" in poor countries. For instance: "Haiti, under intense pressure from the international lending institutions, stopped protecting its domestic agriculture while subsidies to the U.S. rice industry increased. A hungry nation became hungrier."


I stand by my previous assertions though. If a force goes in, elections should be the number one priority.

Of course, I doubt that Bush wants to get involved. He'd rather let the WTO sponsored thugs do the work they couldn't complete in Venezuela.

Even when you KNOW the media is trying to manipulate you, you still have to keep an eye out ;-)

[Chicago Democrat]

7. Factual error

Aristide won four years ago with 70% of the vote. He has one more year left. Please correct me if Im wrong.

[turnhardleft]

3. Where does the CBC stand on the Chavez coup?

Any continuity?

[sonias]

4. Where is the US when it comes to any South African or black country?

They never make the national interest cut. Where is the compassion indeed? Wouldn't Haiti be better off if we brought security to the country? No wait they have no oil so too bad, their democracy isn't worth preserving.

Sonia

[Chicago Democrat]

6. Just listened to Maxine Waters....

Finnally getting to the truth. See interview video (real) at

http://www.democracynow.org/streampage.pl

Ok basically this whole armed rebellion as well as France's cooperation to out Aristide is being orchestrated by Roger Noriega. American Conservative, chief of staff to Jesse Helms, Roger Noriega along with Haitian exiles and elites the so-called Group 184 the paymasters of the Haitian paramilitaries.

Another US orchestrated coup, this time for purely ideological and opportunist reasons.

This revolution in our back yard is a convenient distraction when so many crisis are going on. Completely manufactured by Republicans and haitian elites, cause its "doable".


Makes me sick.

[papau]

8. We have 300 guys that US does not want to stop? What is Bush's motive?

We have 300 guys that US does not want to stop? What is Bush's motive?


These guys travel in old cars and trucks - take no territory - and are going to visit the capital and take over the country - former papa Doc muscle - current drug lord muscle - hired by 13 rich families to steal the country -

and our media says nothing!

Lord have mercy.

Bush(the rich and corporate) really does own/controll the US media. - it is getting harder to say that the media just acts like the controlled by the GOP.

If any newsroom needs a count (from an authority) as to the size of this mob, please contact the UN.